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Be it known that I, HENRY KINNAIRD YORK, of Cardiif, Great ritain, iron-master, have invented Improvements in the Manufacture of Iron and Steel; and I do hereby declare that the following is a'full, clear, and exact description Vof the same, reference being had to the annexed sheet of drawings, making a part ofthe same.

This invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of cast steel, and consists in manufacturing cast steel from cast iron by decarbonizing the cast iron whilst in the solid state, and by the fusion of this decarbonized iron with al certain proportion of Spiegcllesen, or any other description of cast iron containing carbon.

i In carrying out my invention, I take pig-iron or cast iron of any description, previously heated to a temperature below the melting-point, and cut it up int-o small particles by means of circular saws driven at high velocity. The particles of iron thus cut up or torn apart areallowed to fall sme distance through the atmosphere, by which means the iron is more or less decarbonizedand purified, according to the distance the particles have travelled through the air. i

The cutting or tearing-apparatus is completely cased in, so'as to collect the particles ot" iron, and below vthe apparatus I place a pit ora cistern of water, into which the decarbonized particles of iron fall.

' The form of saw or cutter thatI prefer to use is of the following construction: On a spindle I place two wrought or cast-iron disks, about 3' O in diameter. These disks arekeyod on to the spindle, with a space of ve or six inches between them. Cross-bars of iron'or stoel are let into the circumference ofthese disks. These cross-bars-form the teeth of the saw. They may be square or triangular in section, and they are' fastened to -the disks in such a way'that they may readily be taken out and changed. The arrangement of these parts is more particularly shown by the drawing, tig. 1, hereto annexed.

The pig or cast iron to be operated upon is first heated in a furnace to any temperature below the meltingpoint. I then press this heated iron against the teeth of the revolving saw or saws. The frictionvof the saw, or cutter against the iron will cut or tear the iron into small particles. These particles fall or are forced through the air by the velocity of the saw, and are collected in a pit or cistern-placed below the cutter. Other fornis of cutters'may be used. I regulate the degree to which the iron is to be decarbonized by the depth the Airon falls' before it becomes cooled by the water in the pit. The particles of iron thus decarbonized and purified -are vthen dried overa tire, and passed through-a sieve,so` as to remove any pieces or lumps of iron,

above a certain size, that may have been broken instead of sawn off thepig, and consequently too large for being properly decarbonized.

For further carrying out my invention, I use ordinary steel pots, into which I charge the decarbonized iron, prepared as before described, with 'the additionot` a certain proportion of a cognpound, consisting of iron, carbon, and manganese, such a compound being-readily obtainable in the form of white cast iron, known by the name of Spiegel eisen, or I add any other description of cast iron containingcarbon. The proportion of Spiegel eisen or other cast iron to beimixed with the decarbonized iron varies from about ten totwenty-ve per cent., according to the nature of the result desired, the larger percentage of the Spiegel eisen or cast ironbeing approached in proportion to the hardness of the steel required. I then heat the said mixture of dccarbonized iron and Spiegel eisen or cast iron in a suitable melting-furnace, or I use a rcverberatory furnace, fed with pitcoal. When thoroughly melted, I pour the steel into a mould, so as to form an ingot of caststecl. This ingot can afterwards be rolled or worked by any other means into any required form.

When I treat the particles thus obtained for wrought iron., they are placed in a reverberatory furnace, and when at awelding-heat the particles are balled up, and then shingled and hammered in the usual way, or I work the-particles of iron through the charcoal-inery. When working for steel the particles are melted `in a crucible, with or without the addition of fluxes.

I have represented in the accompanying drawing the cutting ortearing-apparatus of my invention.

Figure 1 is a cross vertical section' of the apparatus through the line 1-2 of fig. 2.

Figure 2 isa longitudinal vertical section of the same through the line 3-4 of fig. 1.

In these iignres the' same letters of reference stand for the like parts.

a, vpig-iron or cust iron to be cut or torn in ne particles, which, after being decarbonized, serve for themanufacture of iron and steel. bl1orizonta.l shaft, supported in proper bearings, and placed above n, decnrbonizing'-A cistern, c. At an end of this axis 6 is attached a pulley, d, imparting the movement to the machine. On this axis or shaft I1, two disks,f,':1re fitted, connected to each other by menus of metallic cross-bars g, of either triangular or any other suitable section. lThe metallic cross-bans genre secured on ythe periphery of the two disksf, and act as saw-teeth for eu'ttnghor tearing the iron pig or enst iron in fine particles. A7L shows, the metallic particles dropped into the pit or cistern c, and decm'bonized. z', water or other. liquid `in which said particles are immerged. j, exit-opening for the decnrbonized iron.

A new mode of decarbonizing east iron. The making of cast steel by the mixing of-paltieles of 4cast iron decarbonized with certain proportions of a. compound, consisting of iron, carbon, and manganese, such compound being found in white cast iron, known kby the name of Spiegel esemv or, by the mixing of particles of cast iron, decarbonized, as before described, with the same east iron not decnrbonized, or other cast iron containing carbon, in the manner hereinbefore set forth.

HENRY -KINNAIRD YORK.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL NASH, `P. W. CAREY. 

